Fourth Quarterly Review Meeting of SSD: Balochistan has great agri. potential to alleviate Poverty: Fiazullah

Balochistan has great agricultural potential to alleviate poverty and agricultural research can play a vital role in this respect through innovative technologies.

This was stated by Maulana Fiazullah, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Balochistan while chairing the inaugural session of 4th quarterly review meeting of PARC's Social Sciences Division at Sariab, Quetta.

The Minister highlighted the importance of agricultural sector in country's economy and appreciated the efforts of agricultural scientists in turning the country from food deficit to food surplus.

He also appreciated the role of PARC in dissemination of information to the end- users through their network of Transfer Technology Institutes (TTIs) in the provinces as well as in AJK and Northern Areas.

Maulana Fiazullah hoped that TTIs will deliver and farmers will benefit from the technologies provided at their doorsteps.

The review meeting spanned over eight sessions to gauge the physical, financial and technical progress against the planned activities and targets set in the annual research plan 2002-2003. The financial and administrative issues of the Institutes were also reviewed.

Research and technology transfer activities plan for the year 2002-2003 was also discussed and critically reviewed.

Social, biological and natural resource scientists and leaders of the various research programmes at ARI, Sariab, Arid Zone Research Centre, Quetta and the College of Agriculture, Quetta, Balochistan also participated in the inaugural and as well as some of the technical sessions.

Mohammad Ismail Boleedi, Senator from Balochistan; Abdul Hameed Bajoui, Director General, Agricultural Research, Balochistan; Pir Muhammad Achakzai, Director General,  Agricultural Extension, Balochsitan; Abdul Ahad Qureshi, Director General, Arid Zone Research Centre, Quetta and K.N. Babar, Vice Principal, Agriculture College, Quetta and some other key professionals from agricultural research extension and education also participated in the inaugural session.

Dr. Waqar Malik, Chief Scientific Officer/Incharge, Social Sciences Division, PARC, chaired the technical session.

Agreement on Commercialization of Paddy Thresher

Directorate of Agribusiness and Marketing of PARC inked  agreements on Paddy Thresher manufacturing between PARC and six private farm machinery manufacturers from Punjab and Sindh namely; M/s Amjad Brothers Zaari Industries (Super Fine), Faisalabad, Millat Agroindustries, Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab Engineering Co. Faisalabad, Agrocraft (Pvt). Ltd., Lahore, M/s Mughal Engineering Industries Larkana, National Zaari Industries, Nawabshah. These firms will manufacture and market “Paddy Thresher” among the end users. Chairman PARC on behalf of PARC and Chief Executives of respective private firms inked agreement. This agreement will be for a period of three years, commencing from Sep. 19, 2003. The technology was designed and developed by Farm Machinery Institute (FMI), NARC of PARC.

Participations abroad

• Dr. M.Sharif Zia, CSO/Incharge, NRD, PARC: 7th International Drylands Development Conference; Iran, Sep. 14-17.

• Mr. Roshan Zada, SO/Expert IPM Facilitator (IPEP), NARC and Mr. Saifullah Talpur, SSO/Expert IPM Facilitator (IPEP), NARC: Exchange visit of cotton IPM Expert of Facilitator between Pakistan and China organized by FAO-EU, IPM Programme for cotton Asia; China, Sep. 29 - Oct. 08.

Cancun Ministerial moot on WTO brings PARC in Limelight

Cancun Ministerial meeting held at Cancun, Mexico from Sept. 10-14 once again brought PARC into the limelight. It was back in the year 2000 on the occasion of third ministerial meeting at Seattle, USA that PARC because of its pioneering work on WTO, carried out by Dr. Syed Wajid H. Pirzada, was made a formal part of official delegate led by then Minister of Commerce Mr. Abdul Razak Dawood, to Seattle.

On the occasion of fourth Ministerial at Doha, PARC research scholar on WTO Dr. Syed Wajid H. Pirzada was nominated by MINFAL for the representation in the Ministerial Meeting. It was now in the face of fifth Ministerial that PARC had once again contributed towards promotion and understanding of issues and suggested proactive agenda for Pakistan delegate leaving of Cancun Ministerial. In this connection a series of seminars and workshops were organized in Pakistan by different agencies in which PARC National Expert on WTO Dr. Syed Wajid H. Pirzada presented his papers on these fora as a Resource Person, which included inter-alia a briefing session for Parliamentarians of the WTO Regimes and its Implications for Pakistan held on August 18, 2001 at Islamabad organized by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development of Transparency (PIL d AT). This session was attended by more than 40 members of National Assembly and Senate.

He was also key speaker on Consultative Session on WTO organized by Islamabad Policy Institute. Special issues were brought forward by leading English and Urdu dailies on the occasion. Dr. Pirzada was focal point in these discussions carried by Forum organized by Daily Jang and also Daily Khabarian. Similarly, Daily The News also carried its paper a way forward to Cancun, in its special issue on Sept. 07.

PARC network to meet agri. Sector challenges: Dr. Soomro

Pakistan Agricultural Research Council's (PARC) network of regional institutions had emerged as a focal point for institutional cooperation to meet the national challenges in agricultural sector. This was stated by Chairman PARC, Dr. Badaruddin Soomro while speaking as chief guest at a seminar organized by the Islamabad Horticulture Society at Islamabad on Sep. 04.

Dr. Soomro said the network has also provided a base for collaboration among provincial agricultural research institutes and agricultural universities. The Society Member, non-governmental organizations and the scientists attended the seminar.

Dr. Soomro said the importance of horticultural crops is increasing tremendously, particularly because of the new discoveries. He said on the economic front, specially in the third world, realization is getting stronger for their special attributes of enhanced food production, increased incomes, high potential for agro-based industries, employment opportunities and export earnings.

Developments in the processing technology gave further inputs to the growth of this industry, he added.

Dr. Soomro said the conventional plant breeding coupled with culture techniques and genetic engineering will make significant contribution to the development of new productive and disease resistant varieties of fruits, vegetables and flowers.

He urged the horticulturists to explore the ways and means to develop this remunerative agricultural industry on scientific lines that would bring prosperity to the growers.

Earlier, Dr. Hamid Rashid, Director Biotechnology Institute, NARC delivered a lecture on the "Role of Biotechnology approaches for the improvement in Horticultural Crops".

Dr. Hamid said Biotechnology is a powerful tool to further progress on the various fields of agriculture including horticultural crops.

He disclosed that PARC scientists had made a major break through in two main horticultural crops; seed potato production through tissue culture and production of disease free banana plants.

PARC to launch high capacity rice thresher: Dr. Soomro

The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) will be launching a modern high capacity rice thresher in Balochistan and Sindh to give a big boost to the rice production in the country.

This was stated by PARC Chairman Dr. Badaruddin Soomro while signing the agreements with six-farm machinery manufacturing industries at PARC on Sep. 19.

Dr. Badaruddin Soomro said that the  Farm Machinery Institute (FMI) was established to design and develop appropriate farm machines which could be locally manufactured with available production technology to encourage local production of suitable agricultural machines by providing designs and technical assistance to the manufacturers.

He said that FMI has designed and developed a variety of agricultural machinery which has played tremendous role in increasing production. He said that technologies of different type of agricultural machinery have been developed and transferred to about 30 private sector-engineering firms for commercial scale production.

Dr. Soomro said the machines so far produced by PARC include Reaper windrowers, Groundnut diggers, Groundnut threshers, Paddy threshers, Rice transplanter and Sunflower threshers and so on.

He said that Rice thresher would give a big boost to the rice production. He said that mechanization and modernization of agriculture is crucial for achieving food self-sufficiency as it plays an important role in increasing productivity and reducing pre-and post harvest losses.

The industries include Mughal Engineering Industries, Larkana; Punjab Engineering Company, Faisalabad; Amjad Brothers Zari Industries, Faisalabad; National Engineering Complex Pvt. Limited, Nawabshah; Agro Craft (Private) Limited, Lahore and Millat Agro Industries, Rahimyar Khan. The agreements came into force immediately on signing and will remain valid for a period of three years. According to the agreements, PARC will provide a prototype of Paddy thresher along with a set of drawings and its technician to six farm machinery manufacturing industries.

The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council will provide technical assistance while manufacturing, pre-testing as well as field evaluation of manufactured unit of Paddy thresher. The manufacturers will provide after sale service to their customers.

The mechanize Paddy threshing, a tractor-operated high capacity paddy thresher was identified by PARC. The machine has been tested in Sindh to assess its performance and adaptability in the local conditions.

According to scientists, the test results are very much encouraging and the farmers have shown their entire satisfaction over it. Therefore, PARC has made efforts for indigenisation of Thresher that is being manufactured by local manufacturing industry.

On the occasion, the industrialists appreciated the efforts of the PARC’s scientists who developed farm machinery for development of agricultural sector and took keen interest in matters of mutual interest and promotion of technologies developed by PARC.

Fresh Arrivals

The following journals/Magazines/

books and documents were received in PARC/NARC Libraries during Sep. 2003.

PARC

1. AMBIO (A journal of Human Environment). 2003. 32(5).

2. Akbar-e-Urdu. 2003. 19(9).

3. Agricultural Research. 2003. 15(9)

4. The Economist. 2003. 368(8339-8342)

5. Ecological Economics. 2003. 45(3).  Special Issue.

6. Farming Outlook. 2002. 2(3).

7. Finance and Development. 2003. 40(1).

8. Global Science (Urdu). 2003. 6(9).

9. Monthly Engineering Horizons. 2003. XVI(180).

10. Nida-e-Kisan. 2003. 15(9).

11. National Geographic. 2003. 204(3).

12. Pakistan Journal of Nematology. 2003. 21(2).

13. Pakistan Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research. 2003. 46(4).

14. PARC News. 2003. 23(8).

15. Population & Environment Digest. 2003. 2(10-12).

16. Statistical Bulletin. 2003. September.

17. Unasylva. 2003. 54(212).

18. The World Trade Review. 2003. 3(17-18).

19. Zarat Nama (Urdu). 2003. 42(17).

20. 2003. Agriculture Food and Water. FAO. IT. 61p.

21. 2003. Cactus as Forage. FAO. IT. 146p.

22. 2002. Daftari Zuban Ka Taarruf (Urdu). Jamshaid Alam. PK.230p.

23. 1993. Damwyat (Urdu). Bilqees Fatima. PK. 204p.

24. 2003. Food Nutrition and Agriculture. FAO. IT. 94p.

25. 2003. Fish Stock Assessment Manual. FAO. IT. 161p.

26. 2003. Farhang-e-Nabatat. Islam Nishtar. PK. 232p.

27. 1993. Farhang-e-Istalahat-e-Jamia Usmania (Urdu). Vol.I-II. Muqtadira Qaumi Zaban. PK.v.p.

28. 1998. Ghair Faqqariah Janwer (Urdu) Part-I. Mehr Shah. PK.492p.

29. 1990. Hindsoun Ki Aijad Aur Unka Istamal (Urdu). Muqtadira Qaumi Zaban. PK. 104p.

30. 1996. Handbook of Qualitative Research Methods for Psychology and the Social Sciences. Edited by J.T.E. Richardson. GB. 224p.

31. 1997.  Itallaeyat (Urdu). Tauheed Ahmad, PK. 100p.

32. 2003. ICARDA: Annual Report 2002. ICARDA. SY. 136p.

33. 1990. Kinjhar Jheel Aur Uskay Jhengay (Urdu). Waqar Ahmad Zubairy. PK. 118p.

34. 2003. World Development Report 2004. World Bank. US. 26p.

35. 2003. An Organizational Performance Assessment System for Agricultural Research Organizations. ISNAR. NL. 59p.

36. 2002. Phaloun aur Sabzioun Ki Bemarian. Muqtadira Qaumi Zaban. PK. 137p.

37. 1991. Pakistan Ki Zari Hashriyat. Manzoor Ahmad. PK. 322p.

38. 1998. Pakistan Ki Jangli Hayat. Manzoor Ahmad. PK. 504p.

39. 1993.  Pakistan Kay Taza Panioun Ki Italaqi Mahi Parwari. Muhammad Asif. PK. 204p.

40. 2003. Socio-Economic and Cultural Factors in the Research and Control of Trypanssomiasis. FAO. IT. 67p.

41. 1994. Zaban Aur Demagh. Mehmood Ali. PK. 236p.

NARC

1. ACIAR Newsletter. 2003. (43).

2. Agricultural Science & Technology Newsletter. 2003. 4(2).

3. Agroforestry Systems. 2003. 57(2).

4. Agronomy Journal. 2003. 95(2).

5. American Bee Journal. 2003. 143(9).

6. American Journal of Potato Research.2003. 80(4).

7. American Oil Chemists Society Journal. 2003. 80(8).

8. Buffalo Bulletin. 2001. 20(1-2).

9. Crop Protection. 2003. 22(1-8).

10. Crop Science. 2003. 43(5).

11. Current Contents of Journals on Diskettes with Abstracts A.B. & E. Sci. 2003. 34 (34-37).

12. DAWAH Highlights. 2003. 14(8).

13. Engineering Horizons. 2003. 16(9).

14. Farming Outlook. 2003. 2(3).

15. FAL Agricultural Research. 2003. 53(2/3).

16. Finance and Development. 2003. 40(1).

17. Food, Nutrition and Agriculture. 2003. (32).

18. Food Technology. 2003. 57 (8).

19. Hamdard Medicus. 2002. 45(4).

20. Hort Science. 2003. 38(5).

21. Jadeed Zaraat (Urdu). 2003. 21(9).

22. Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly (JARQ). 2003. 37(2).

23. Journal of Animal Science. 2003. 81(9) supplement, 1-2.

24. Journal of Economic Entomology. 2003. 96(2-4).

25. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences. 2003. 22(1).

26. Journal of Stored Products Research. 2003. 39(1-5).

27. Korean Journal of Breeding. 2003. 35(2).

28. Korean Journal of Crop Science. 2003. 48(2-3).

29. Mountain Research and Development. 2003. 23(3).

30. Natura. 2003. 30(1).

31. New Scientist. 2003. 179(2408-2412).

32. Pakistan Journal of Science. 2003. 55(1-2).

33. Pakistan Journal of Scientific Research. 2003. 55(1-2).

34. Pakistan Journal of Seed Technology. 2002. 1(2).

35. Pakistan Sugar Journal. 2003. 18(5).

36. PARC News. 2003. 23(8).

37. PC Magazine. 2003. 22(14-15).

38. Phytopathology. 2003. 93(9).

39. Plant Breeding. 2003. 122(4).

40. Plant Cell Reports. 2003. 22(1).

Seminar on Gliricidia sepium at NARC:  Mice Killer Plant Grown

A seminar on Gliricidia sepium - a mice killer plant was organized at NARC on Sep. 19. Mr. M. Saleem Zia Toor, SSO/Deputy Director, TTI, NARC delivered the seminar. Dr. Badaruddin Soomro, Chairman PARC presided over the seminar.

Mr. Toor while delivering the seminar highlighted the morphological, physiological and chemical aspects of the plant such as rat killing and  multipurpose use of  young cocoa plants in the tropics. It produces pink flowers in cluster form.  Gliricidia sepium is a very pretty ornamental tree with bipinnate leaves and branching limbs. The natives of the areas use the juice from the leaves as a natural cure for baldness.

He further said that the tree is also used as rodenticidal, living fence, hedge and windbreak, fire break, nitrogen fixation, green manure, railroad ties, heavy construction, forage for cattle forage for bees, meal with corn to hen for increasing weight of eggs and quality. It has four cuttings in a year with a 3-10 meter height.

Mr. Toor said that Gliricidia sepium is a remedy for alopecia, boils, bruises, burns, cold, cough, debility, eruption, erysipelas, fever, fractures, gangrene, head-ache, itch, prickly heat, rheumatism, skin, sore, tumors, ulcers, ulticaria, and wounds.

Gliricidia sepium was investigated for their toxic properties on the larvae of Anopheles stephansi and it killed rats completely. Rodents like mice have been a serious problem for the crops and have been causing massive losses to the farmers, he added.

Dr. Badaruddin Soomro, Chairman PARC appreciated the initiative taken by Mr. M. Saleem Zia Toor and advised Dr. N.I.Hashmi, Director General, NARC to formulate a group of scientists who should deeply concentrate on the different aspects of the plants and give the recommendations for further research. He further directed the scientists to carry out research in other medicinal plants, which could be beneficial for the human beings. Dr. Soomro opined that national and multinational pharmaceuticals/pesticides companies should be linked with the programme.

Dr. Badaruddin Soomro, Chairman PARC speaking at the seminar on Gliricidia Sepium delivered by Mr. M. Saleem Zia Toor, SSO/Deputy Director on Sep. 19 at NARC; Director General, NARC, Dr. N.I. Hashmi was also present on the occasion

Improved Management  Can Boost Export of Horticultural Crops: Dr. Hayee

Strict compliance of improved post-harvest management practices can bring more foreign exchange to Pakistan, this was stated by Dr. Abdul Hayee Qureshi, Incharge WTO Cell of  PARC, while delivering seminars on "Pakistan's Agriculture in WTO Perspective" at Killa Saifullah, Loralai and Mustang Districts of Balochistan.

The seminars were jointly organized by Agricultural Extension Department, Balochistan and Technology Transfer Institute (TTI), Quetta. A large number of farmers, extension workers, scientists and local government representatives attended the seminars.

The speaker said, WTO Agreement on Application of sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures deserves special attention of all the stakeholders in improving quality and standards of their harvest. He said that apple production, picking, grading and packing require extraordinary care of producers and all those who are involved in the business. Apple produced in Balochistan is liked in many countries due to its taste, size and colour. Hence, improvement in quality and standards is imperative to capture more world markets under globalization or free trade era.

Speaking on the occasions, Mr. Tariq Sheikh, Deputy Director of Agricultural Research Institute, Sariab, Quetta, said that Government has established Export Promotion Bureau to boost national exports and has announced installation of Apple Treatment Plant in Balochistan.Syed Muhammad Khair, Scientific Officer, TTI, Quetta asked farmers to adopt modern techniques of fruits and vegetables storage.

Chief guests of the seminars Mir Skinder Khan Mullazai, City Nazim Mastung, Haji Abdul Aziz and Mir Jalal-ud-Din Jogezai, Progressive growers of the area offered their sincere thanks to PARC, TTI, Quetta and Agricultural Extension Department, Balochistan for arranging the seminars.

The WTO Cell, SSD, PARC is highly thankful to all the Technology Transfer Institutes (PARC) for their continuous support in arranging the WTO seminars in their respective province and making the events successful.

NARC to focus on reduction of pesticides use: Dr. Hashmi

The Integrated Pest Management Programme (IPMP), which is being conducted in the cotton growing areas with focus on farmers participation in the activities to reduce the consumption of chemical poisons, is a good example of research at the grassroots level.

This was stated by Dr. N.I. Hashmi, Director General, National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), in a meeting of the Scientists’ Club at NARC on Sep. 06.

Dr. Kader Bux Baloch, Cotton Commissioner, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock, presided over the meeting.

Launched by the NARC in eight cotton districts of Sindh and parts of south Punjab with the assistance of FAO, European Union, etc. the NIP has presented practical solution to the problem of taking research to farmers'  fields, he said in his comments on a presentation made by Dr. Iftikhar, the head of IPMP.

Dr. Peter C.A. Ooi, chief technical advisor, FAO Cotton IPM Asia Programme, and Dr. Merle Shepard, consultant FAO-ADB Cotton IPM Programme, said Pakistan could be proud of the successful implementation of the programme.

Earlier, Dr. Iftikhar said while the volume of pesticides used in Pakistan had increased from 665 tons in 1980 to nearly 70,000 tons in 2002, there had been no reduction in the damage caused by pests. On the other hand, he added, the quantity of cotton destroyed by pests had gone up to 3.5 million bales by 1998-99 from only 0.25 million bales in 1992-93.

In spite of these facts, it needed a good deal of effort to debrief policymakers and farmers about the wrong notion that pesticides are indispensable for high production and at par with fertilizers, he added.

Besides, pesticides have not delivered the benefits as claimed by their promoters and caused irreparable damage to the ecological system, given rise to widespread morbidity among farmers, contaminated water, caused extinction of wildlife and affected animals as well as other crops and croplands by killing pollinators, like bees he said.

Research by the IPMP has found that 87 per cent of female cotton pickers suffered from pesticide-related diseases, 63 per cent farmers fell sick while spraying chemicals and one person per 800 households died of it.

He recommended that accordance with the polluter pays principle the government should subject the producers of pesticides to an environment tax. Negative cost is the true cost of pesticides, he said, adding that the nation had to bear the cost of over Rs.11 billion as a result of extraneous effects of pesticides.

While the expenditure incurred on pesticides, direct and indirect, had been estimated at more than Rs.18 billion, the benefit accruing there from amounted to only Rs.8.06 billion, he maintained.

Describing the IPMP, he said, its main plank was Farmers' Field Schools (FFS) for training farmers in pest management.

Those graduating from the FFS impart training to other farmers. The NIP has so far trained 3,062 farmers in 116 schools, he added.

Scientists to improve agri. sector in NAs: Dr. Soomro

Agricultural scientists should focus their attention to identify research priority areas for development of agricultural sector in the Northern Areas.

This was stated by Chairman, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Dr. Badaruddin Soomro while speaking at a briefing on "Development of Agriculture in Northern Areas" at Gilgit.

Dr. Badaruddin Soomro said for development of Northern Areas Agriculture, PARC has established research stations at Jaglot, Chilas, Astore, Skardu and also transferring technology to end users.

He was on a special visit to see the overall performance of the research stations established in Northern Areas.

Rash Khan, Director Karakorum Agricultural Research Institute for Northern Areas (KARINA), gave briefing at this occasion which was attended by Saeed Ahmad, Acting Chief Secretary of Northern Areas, Dr. Aleem Mehmud, Member (Finance) PARC,  Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, Chief Scientific Officer/Incharge  CSD, PARC  Imtiaz Ahmed, Director  NRD, PARC,  Agricultural Departments, NGOs representatives from IUCN, AKRSP, NADP, and local Government representatives of Northern Areas.

Northern Areas have about 2.0 per cent land under cultivation and major crops are wheat, maize, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Livestock is also an important sector that is playing tremendous role to boost the income of the farmers.

Northern Areas have great potential that needs attention of the scientists, experts, policy makers and planners.

PICTURES GALLERY

Visit of Chairman PARC, Dr. Badaruddin Soomro to PARC Institutes in Northern Areas

Inaugurating Soil and Plant Analysis Laboratory at KARINA

Chairman PARC, Dr. Badaruddin Soomro and Director, KARINA Rash Khan speaking at a briefing on Development of Agriculture in Northern Areas at Gilgit

Presentation on Adjusting Cropping Pattern with Water Availability in the Indus Basin

On the directive of Prime Minister of Pakistan, Dr. Shahid Ahmad, CSO/Senior Director, Water Resources, PARC gave the presentation on Adjusting Cropping Pattern with Water Availability in the Indus Basin to the Federal Minister, Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind and Secretary, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock at PARC on Sep.26. It was the third presentation as two presentations were already made to Secretary MINFAL.

The meeting was chaired by the Federal Minister, Secretary MINFAL, Chairman PARC and Chairman APCOM were also present on the occasion.

The Minister and Secretary gave suggestions for the formulation of strategy and recommendations for improving the productivity of irrigated agriculture and management of scarce water resources. The  Minister highlighted the need to initiative programmes at the canal command level covering aspects of reducing the area under wheat, rice and sugarcane and improving the productivity of these crops to meet the shortfall, so that water saved can be used to have self-reliance in edible oils and pulses. In addition, he also emphasized the need to accelerate the process of watercourse improvement by having active involvement of District Governments and the private sector. The Minister  also appreciated the recommendations made for the formation of companies in the private sector for the provision of irrigation services to farmers covering laser leveling and high efficiency irrigation systems. He emphasized the need that along with provision of technology like drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, training of farmers in installation and operation of these systems is essential.

Dr. Badaruddin Soomro, Chairman PARC indicated that PARC is fully aware and ready to formulate a National Research Programme for the management of water and cropping pattern in the country. In this regard, PARC would provide all the necessary support to NARS and arrange Crash Training Programme for effective implementation of the Development Programmes by the line departments and extension agencies, he added.

At the end, Minister advised Dr. Shahid Ahmad to modify the presentation and prepare CDs for large-scale distribution to all the partners in the provinces. He further emphasized that all the necessary computer and database development support be provided by PARC to build and update water based databases for the irrigated agriculture, as a continued exercise.

Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock talking to Dr. Shahid Ahmad, CSO/Senior Director, Water Resources whilePresentation on Adjusting Cropping Pattern with Water Availability in the Indus Basin at PARC on Sep.26; Chairman PARC, Dr. Badaruddin Soomro, Secretary MINFAL Mr. Nazir Salik and Chairman APCON were also present on the occasion

Chinese delegation calls on Dr. Soomro

Pakistan and China have decided to enhance cooperation in different fields of agriculture under the 16th Protocol of Science and Technology signed between the two countries. Under this agreement, a three-member delegation comprising engineers of agricultural farm machinery is visiting Pakistan.

The Chinese delegation led by Yong Dong of the Department of International Cooperation, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Mechanization Sciences (CAAMS), called on the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Chairman Dr. Badaruddin Soomro at PARC on Sep. 03.

Dr. Badaruddin Soomro while briefing the delegation said that PARC had developed, designed and modified a variety of agricultural machinery.

He said technology had been transferred to about 30 private sector engineering firms and companies for commercial scale production of different type of agricultural machinery.

He informed the delegation that the machines so far produced by PARC include Reaper windrowers, Groundnut diggers, Groundnut threshers, Paddy threshers and Sunflower threshers.

Dr. Soomro said: "China and Pakistan are close friends and both countries attach high priority to agriculture sector and thus there is a need for collaboration and cooperation in the field of agricultural mechanization between the two countries.

"Mechanization and modernization of agriculture is crucial for achieving food self-sufficiency. It plays important role in increasing productivity and reducing pre-post and harvest losses, he added.

The delegation informed the PARC Chairman  that initially three seminars at Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi would be arranged starting from November wherein Chinese technologies would interact with Pakistani technologists and stakeholders. The Farm Machinery Institute (FMI), at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) has been identified as focal point for collaboration with China and a MoU is likely to be signed on behalf of the Government of Pakistan.

Mr. Yang appreciated the efforts of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council scientists for the develop-ment of agricultural sector and took keen interest in matters of mutual interest and promotion of Chinese technologies in Pakistan.

Earlier, the delegation visited FMI where the Institute's Director Dr. Nadeem Amjad, briefed it about various activities being carried out at the Institute.